1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to gaming systems and, more particularly, to gaming systems that involve progressive jackpots.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A progressive jackpot gaming system typically includes multiple gaming machines linked together via a progressive controller, wherein each of the linked machines contributes a fraction of the "coin-in" or amount wagered, to a progressive jackpot and allows a player of that machine a chance to win the amount of the progressive jackpot. A progressive jackpot may also be built using the coin-in from a single machine. More generally a progressive jackpot is merely a jackpot that increases in value over time.
A progressive controller typically carries out the calculation of the progressive jackpot value and the monitoring of won jackpots, as well as linking the contributing gaming machines. The progressive controller monitors the coin-in and jackpot information of each gaming machine to determine the monetary amount being wagered as well as whether the progressive jackpot has been won. This information is then used by the controller to increment the progressive jackpot value and to report the incremented value to a display visible to all of the players of the linked machines. In some progressive systems, the value of the progressive jackpot is also displayed on each of the individual linked machines. Once a win of the progressive jackpot occurs, the progressive controller acknowledges and logs the win and resets the jackpot value to a base amount for continuing progression based on subsequent play.
For example, in a system of three slot machines contributing 10 cents to a progressive jackpot for each handle pull of the slot machine, the progressive controller monitors the three slot machines and adds 10 cents to the progressive jackpot each time it detects a handle pull at any of the three slot machines. The progressive controller stores a base progressive jackpot amount of $1M and increases the jackpot amount based on the activity at the linked slot machines, as described above. The progressive jackpot is won when one of the linked machines "hits" the winning jackpot combination. The winning jackpot combination is merely an outcome that is pre-defined to be a win. It can be a particular number on a roulette wheel, a particular hand in a card game or three cherries on a slot machine.
In the above example, the progressive controller continuously monitors the linked slot machines for the occurrence of the winning jackpot combination as well as for handle pulls. Once it determines that the winning jackpot combination has been hit at one of the machines, it awards the current value of the progressive jackpot to the player of the machine at which the winning jackpot combination has been hit. The progressive controller then resets the progressive jackpot amount to the base value of $1M.
There are various ways in which the awarding of a progressive jackpot may be determined. One way is to add a percentage of value wagered on each of the machines contributing to a base jackpot value until the winning jackpot combination is hit by a player at one of the linked gaming devices. The player operating the gaming device upon which the jackpot winning combination occurred is awarded the value of the jackpot at the time of the win. The value of the jackpot is paid out to the winner and the jackpot is reset to the base jackpot value. In some systems, a portion of the value of the jackpot at the time of the win at one of the linked machines is allocated between the players at the other gaming machines (e.g. the winning player receives 80% of the jackpot and the remaining 20% is apportioned amongst the players at the other linked machines).
For example, assume a jackpot base value is $1M. A bank of 10 slot machines are hooked up to the progressive jackpot, each contributing 1 cent for every handle pull. Eventually the jackpot gets up to $2,645,097.99. A player at one of the slot machines linked to the progressive jackpot hits the progressive jackpot winning combination of bar--bar--bar. The winner receives the $2,645,097.99, the jackpot is reset to $1M and the progression starts all over again.
While progressive jackpot systems have proved satisfactory in stimulating game play on the linked gaming machines, it has been observed that game play tends to decrease immediately after the progressive jackpot has been won. Game play typically does not increase until after the displayed current progressive jackpot value increases considerably above the initially reset base value. This fall-off in game play results from players being reluctant to initiate game play until the current jackpot increases because they believe that the value will likely increase to a more substantial level before a win occurs. Also, since a win on a progressive system happens infrequently (sometimes as infrequently as once every couple of years), there is very little incentive for players to compete to win the progressive bonus in the time period immediately following a win because they erroneously perceive a cyclical pattern in the probability of winning (i.e. once a win has occurred, another win will not occur for some time). Thus, believing that another payout will not occur for some time, in addition to wanting to wait until the jackpot gets bigger so that their resultant awarded prize will be bigger, discourages players from playing during the time period right after the win. Fall-off in game play at any time is undesirable and detracts from the benefits of the progressive gaming system.
Thus, what is needed is a means to maintain the incentive to continue to play the progressive jackpot gaming system at all times and to reduce the fall-off in game play after a progressive jackpot win.